Bring city’s heritage to life through VR tools, says proposal

Bhopal: An ambitious proposal submitted to the Union govt seeks to digitally revive the archaeological heritage of the city through virtual reality, covering 270 structures, including the 300-year-old Dhai Seedi Mosque, one of the world’s smallest mosques.

Filed under the Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) scheme, the project aims to use AR/VR tools to document and present monuments that are largely outside the Archaeological Survey of India’s protected list, highlighting the urgency of preservation.

Bhopal-based senior professor Sheetal Sharma, who prepared the proposal, said the initiative aims to turn heritage sites into “living lessons” aligned with NEP 2020.

The 24-month project will allow users to virtually experience the city’s layered past from Raja Bhoj’s era to the Begum period and post-Independence, mapping temples, mosques, water systems, forts and trade routes. It follows a three-phase model of spatial mapping, IKS-based analysis and AR/VR dissemination through apps and classroom tools.